Stephen Williams and Elizabeth Hunt picked on a man and woman in random Valentine's Day attack which nearly killed one victim, leaving him lying in a pool of his own blood

Brutal: 'Dangerous' Stephen Williams was sentenced to 10 years for the attack (Photo: Liverpool Echo)

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A couple celebrated their engagement by 'beating the living daylights' out of two innocent bystanders.

On Valentine's Day last year, Stephen Williams and Elizabeth Hunt went to the Claremont Hotel in Anfield where they beat up two revellers in an unprovoked assault.

"Dangerous" Williams was jailed for 10 years for the attack on Dennis Smith, while his fiancee Hunt received a suspended sentence.

Bar manager Ronald Shelbourne was jailed for a year after being convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice by hiding the pair, mopping up evidence and lying to police.

Williams, 28, confronted Mr Smith, who was having a drink with friend Christopher Young, and asked him whether he want to be 'killed on the spot', before following him into another room and launching an attack.

He punched and kicked the man in the face, leaving Mr Smith lying in a pool of his own blood.

Mr Smith suffered several facial fractures and was so badly hurt that onlookers believed he was dead- which he could have been, if it were not for the efforts of an off-duty nurse.

His girlfriend, Lunt, 34, attacked Mr Young and a woman called Emma Kavanagh by repeatedly punching her in the face and giving her two black eyes.

She later intimidated witnesses by warning them not to talk to the police.

They left the pub but returned when they realised her engagement ring was lost, at which point police arrived on the scene.

Mr Shelbourne, 60, ushered them upstairs and out of the way as the cops questioned witnesses about the altercation.

They appeared before Liverpool Crown Court last week, where the couple admitted to starting the fight.

Judge Mark Brown described the attack as 'unprovoked, brutal and vicious' and said that it 'sickened' onlookers.

He sentenced 'dangerous' Williams, who pleaded guilty, to 10 years plus an extended sentence of three years for grievous bodily harm with intent.

Judge Brown accepted that Lunt had acted out of character and sentenced her to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, ordered her to carry out 120 hours of community service and to pay £500 compensation to her victim.

The court also heard that she broke off the relationship following the fight, dumping Williams just a week later.

Shelbourne denied attempting to pervert the course of justice but was found guilty at trial and was jailed for a year.